A small
canine very popular in the southern areas of
Santharia, the Rimrunner (short "Rimmer", also "Ratter") is an attractive, playful animal.
It is primarily used as either a household pet or vermin-killer. As the name
suggests, this dog originates from the Rimmerins Ring area in northern
Manthria, though it has become more widely
known in recent times.

Appearance.
The Rimrunner is a very compact little dog, about three to four
palmspans tall. It is
usually pale gray, white or cream coloured, although the occasional dark gray or
even black individual may be found. The head is large, nearly a
palmspan between the ears,
with wide-set bright, normally brown eyes, although rarely, they may be dark
blue. The Rimmer’s head somewhat resembles the shir fox’s
in shape, with a slender pointed muzzle, neat, small triangular ears and broad
skull. The short neck broadens into sturdy though narrow shoulders, which are
only a little wider than the beast’s head. Rimmers have small, neat little paws,
with short blunt claws. This dog has a thick shaggy pelt, with fur about three
to four nailsbreadths long
on the coat, but shorter and finer on the head. The average adult weighs
approximately a heb and two
to four ods, depending on
how well fed the animal is. Males are slightly larger than females, both in
height and weight.

Special Abilities.
The Rimmer has the ability to dig very effectively and has been known to burrow
into the ground in pursuit of a rat,
tarep, or even snake. It is remarkably fast at this. It also has a peculiar
deep bark which is only heard when the dog senses danger or is wary; otherwise
it yips or growls like any other canine. This last trait makes the Rimmer a good
watch dog as well, for it will sound this low, threatening bark at anything it
deems suspicious.

Territory.
As this animal is solely a domestic beast, it may be found in various locations.
However, Rimmers originated in the Rimmerins Ring area, in the small
human settlements. Highly successful both as
household pets and vermin exterminators, the breed eventually spread to outlying
areas and may be found over most of the southern areas of
Santharia today. In colder or wetter
areas, Rimmers have a tendency to be more susceptible to lung troubles, so they
are not as well-known in northern parts.

Habitat/Behaviour.
A tough and usually healthy little animal, the Rimrunner is a very active dog
and needs plenty of exercise. They love to run and play, but if overfed and
under-exercised will become lazy and lethargic, losing much of their zest for
life and eventually becoming very irritable and bad-tempered. For this reason,
Rimmers obviously do not make good lap-dogs. Under normal circumstances,
however, they are friendly, lively and playful. They have also succeeded as
trick dogs in carnival acts, being quite intelligent, easily trained and eager
to please, not to mention considerably cheaper to feed than a bigger dog would
be.

Diet.
Like all canines, these dogs are primarily carnivores and eat meat. Those that
are kept as working dogs tend to hunt and catch many of their meals, with the
occasional supplement of table scraps. Thus their diet will include
rats and mice,
tarepi, snakes, kuatu, the occasional bird,
surica and so on.

Mating.
As the Rimmer is a domestic animal, breeding usually occurs in a controlled
environment, where a male and a female in heat are put together by the owners so
that mating may occur. The female tends to be rather aggressive when in heat and
will fend off an overly eager suitor with sharp nips and snarls. Approached
cautiously and in a conciliatory fashion, she becomes more receptive and
playfully allows the male’s advances.

When the female conceives, her pregnancy usually lasts about 60-65 days, after
which she will bear between 3 to 6 puppies. It is highly unusual for there to be
more than six or less than three in a litter. The pups wean within four moons
and then may be taken from the mother. They reach adult size by a year of age
and are mature by age three, capable of mating and producing offspring of their
own.

Myth/Lore.
The people of Onved, a larger town inside the Rimmerins Ring mountains, have a
saying referencing this dog, generally used to describe a gossip, that someone
“has a nose like a Rimrunner”. This refers to the tenacious little dog’s
determination when it goes after rats or other prey. It is
hard to dissuade a Rimmer from pursuit.

Most of the little mountain towns have a tale or two about some legendary Rimmer
or other, who accomplished great feats of cunning or skill, but most of these
are unverified and some definitely exaggerated, as tales tend to grow with age.